Tales from the Riverbank - Singing at Midnight

 I have just returned from the most amazing weekend at the Riverbank, with women connected to The Salvation Army from all over the country. God’s presence was tangible, the worship was powerful and the teaching was Holy Spirit inspired. Over the next few days I will be sharing a little of what God spoke to me while I was there. If you were there too I would love to hear what God revealed to you. If you weren't there I pray that a little of the riverbank will flow into your heart and you might just sign up to join us next year!

On the Friday night, on the bank of the beautiful river installation, the head of family ministries, Major David Betteridge taught from the story of Paul and Silas in prison found in Acts 16. One of the (many amazing) truths he spoke declared that ‘The songs you sing in the daytime become the songs you sing at midnight.’

Throughout the weekend I returned to this truth and I am sure I will many times more as the power of it takes root in my heart. 

My husband and I are keen walkers and we love to discover new places out in the beauty of nature. One day, a number of years ago, we decided to follow a walk in the Yorkshire Dales. The day didn't get off to a great start with a number of delays, and we struggled to find the starting place marked out on our map. We had a beautiful walk but after a while we became aware that we must have started in the wrong place as we couldn’t find the markers on the map or the instructions. Then it started to get dark! The panic set in and as we carried on walking my husband’s mind started to go towards the worst case scenario. Not knowing what else to do, I started singing, I began to recall old Sunday school songs that I had heard and learned a long time ago. As we couldn’t find our way we declared that

‘I am the way, the truth and the life, That’s what Jesus said’ 

As the night fell, we sang louder until we found our way back to the car. This reminds me of the truth I was reminded of at the weekend. ‘ The songs you sing in the daytime become the songs you sing at midnight.’

This truth has challenged me, and has encouraged me to challenge you in asking:

Are you in the daytime? What songs are you singing? 

It can be so tempting in the daytime to kick back, relax and allow your mind to wander. In the daytime of life, the easier seasons, we may forget the God who brought us this far and the songs can become songs of the world, songs about me and songs that hold little substance. If we are not singing songs of God in the daytime, how will we know the songs to sing at midnight? 

Are you in the middle of the night? What songs do you recall?

When we are in the darkness, and we can’t see a way out - we can be so tempted to worry, panic and stay paralysed. However when we begin to sing, as we see in the story in Acts 16, we see things start to change and wonderful things happen. Singing in our midnight and worshipping God is so important because it:

• Reminds us of what God has done before, how he has helped people before 

• Reminds us of who God is right now. The God who created the universe is the one right there with us

• Reminds us of the hope we have in the future. That God can and will work in our lives. 

When Paul and Silas sang in the night, the miraculous happened and they found freedom. In the summer there is something so beautiful when the dawn chorus begins. When the darkness gives way to light and the silence gives way to a beautiful chorus of freedom. Today if you are in a dark place and you don’t know where to turn, Sing! Sing loud and sing songs that remind you of the God you serve. I promise you that you will find freedom!